Dowel



April 11, 1967 MUDANO 3,313,510

DOWEL Filed Jan. 20, 1966 FIG.5 l4 Y [4M2 4o 50/ Y NATALE MUDANO ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,313,510 DOWEL Natale Mudano, 1130 Leland Ave., Bronx, N.Y.

Filed 32m. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 521,953 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-244) This invention relates to dowels such as are removably engageable with wooden inserts used to extend the surfaces of furniture such as tables and the like.

Heretofore, it has been customary to accomplish such extensions by providng one or more wooden centerpiece accommodated between laterally adjustable, table members, which may thereafter be engaged with such centerpieces by means of dowels and mating sockets provided upon vertical faces of said adjustable members or centerpieces. Such arrangements have been intended to attain a substantially continuous table top, which is free from any play or motion between the members thus united.

However, it has been observed that unless the dowels are perfectly aligned with their mating sockets, it will be difiioult to assemble the table top without the formation of cracks or spaces between the members intended for connection by the dowels. Moreover, with the passage of time, the mating surfaces of the dowels and their sockets will wear, thereby permitting a substantial amount of play between them and a corresponding displacement of the table members from which they depend.

Once they have reached this state, it is usually impracticable and uneconomical to provide new dowels and sockets upon the table involved.

The present invention solves these problems. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable dowel and socket assembly which can be easily assembled with adjustable table members and centerpieces therein and which can be aligned to insure that such members and centerpieces can be associated to form a continuous surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable dowel and socket assembly which is characterized by a minimum of wear despite repeated use.

A further object of the invention is to provide dowel and socket means which can be easily removed from the furniture with which it is employed and which can be replaced with other dowel and socket means, as desired.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide dowel and socket means of sturdy and economical design.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following discussion as read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a table employing a plurality of one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary bottom view of an open position of said embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary bottom view of an open position of a modified form of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

Throughout the various views, similar numerals are employed to designate similar parts of the invention.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the present invention may be employed with a table of conventional design, generally designated by the numeral and including legs 11 supporting a table top comprising horizontal end members 12, 13 and a centerpiece 14 disposed intermediately of said end members 12, 13. Said end members 12, 13 and centerpiece 14 are also slidably connected in the conventional manner by suitable crosspieces 15 depending from the end members 12, 13.

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FIGURE 1 depicts the aforesaid members of the table 10 in a closed position, i.e., in the position wherein the centerpiece 14 is assembled in abutment with the end members 12, 13. As may be seen in FIGURE 1, the lower surfaces 16, 18, 19 of the end members 12, 13 and centerpiece 14 are provided with a plurality of one form of the present invention, generally designated by the nu meral 20, whose structure and function can be more fully understood from the following description.

As may be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawing, the last-mentioned form of the invention includes a pair of bracket members 21, 22 provided with a plurality of apertures 23. Suitable fastening members such as screws 24 may be received in said apertures 23 and engaged with members intended for connection such as the centerpiece 14 and the adjacent end member 12.

Each of the bracket members 21, 22 is provided with a boss 28, 29 having a face 30, 31 disposed perpendicularly with respect to the base 32, 33 of the respective bracket members 21, 22.

One boss 28 is provided with .a generally rectangular dowel 34 which projects from a suitable aperture 35 formed in the boss 28. The dowel 34 is slidably receivable within a socket 36 formed in the boss 29, said dowel 34 being received in said socket 36 when the centerpiece 14 is disposed in abutment with the end member 12, as by bringing together in the conventional manner surfaces 38, 39 of said centerpiece 14 and end member 12.

It will be observed that the faces 30, 31 of the bosses 28, 29 are laterally offset with respect to surfaces 38, 39, so that said faces 39, 31 will be in spaced relation when the surfaces 38, 39 abut each other, thereby permitting the upper surfaces of the centerpiece 14 and end member 12 to form a substantially continuous surface when the dowel 34 is fully engaged with the socket 36. Such surface continuity is in no way obstructed by the interference of any portion of the present invention.

It will also be observed that by interposing a suitable shim stock 37 between the base 33 of one bracket member 21 and the centerpiece 14, the dowel 34 can be vertically adjusted with respect to the socket 36. Similarly, there is sufficient clearance between the screws 24 and the. apertures 23, so as to allow a small lateral adjustment of the dowel 34 and socket 36. Such adjustability permits the dowel 34 and socket 36 to be aligned so that they may be engaged and disengaged with a minimum of wear and without interfering with the abutment of the centerpiece 14 and end member 12.

However, if, for any reason, the dowel 34 or socket 36 should become damaged or worn, or if, for any other reason, they should be inoperative, the above-described units comprising said bracket members and bosses may be removed from the centerpiece 14 and end member 12 and replaced by other similar units, as desired.

So, also, if the dowel 34 and socket 36 in the units previously described require adjustment not permitted by the shim stock 37 or clearance between the screws 24 and apertures 23, such adjustment can be achieved by appropriate alignment of said dowel 34 and socket 36 after removal of said units and readjusting them in the desired position in another suitable location on said centerpiece 14 and end member 12.

It is to be understood that the above-described structures are only illustrative of one form of the invention and that other forms thereof may also be employed to achieve the objects of the invention. For example, FIG- URES 4 and 5 of the drawing depict a modified form of the invention wherein the bracket members 40, 41 depending from the centerpiece 14 and end member 12 are provided with elongated bosses 42, 43. The boss 42 is provided with a dowel, generally designated by the nu- 3 meral 44 and having a rectangular shank 4S. Said dowel 44 also includes a wedge-shaped projection 46 having a horizontal upper surface 48 and lower inclined surfaces 49, each of which surfaces 48, 49 conforms with the pen'phery of a socket 50 wherein said wedge-shaped projec- 5 tion 46 is received when the centerpiece 14 and end member 12 are brought into abutment.

It will be seen that the above-described forms of the invention achieve its objects in a simple but ingenious manner and that their flanges and bosses may assume a variety of attractive forms, as desired.

The embodiments of the invention illustrated and described hereinabove have been selected for the purpose of clearly setting forth the principles involved. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention is susceptible to being modified in respect to details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. Means removably connecting abuttable panel members together comprising;

(a) a bracket member depending from each of said panel members, each of said bracket members having a boss,

(b) a dowel extending from the boss on one bracket member beyond the edge of the panel member to which it is attached,

(0) a socket provided in the boss on the other bracket member receiving said dowel and fully enclosing the same, said other bracket member being ofiset from the end of its associated panel member, and

(d) means removably securing said bracket members to said panel members.

2. A device according to claim 1, said dowel having a generally rectangular conformation.

3. A device according to claim 1,

(a) said dowel including a wedge shaped element;

(b) the periphery of said socket conforming with said Wedge-shaped element when said abuttable panel members are engaged.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,530,892 11/1950 Mayo 248-31 3,236,487 2/1966 Chakeres 248-244 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. MEANS REMOVABLY CONNECTING ABUTTABLE PANEL MEMBERS TOGETHER COMPRISING; (A) A BRACKET MEMBER DEPENDING FROM EACH OF SAID PANEL MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID BRACKET MEMBERS HAVING A BOSS, (B) A DOWEL EXTENDING FROM THE BOSS ON ONE BRACKET MEMBER BEYOND THE EDGE OF THE PANEL MEMBER TO WHICH IT IS ATTACHED, (C) A SOCKET PROVIDED IN THE BOSS ON THE OTHER BRACKET MEMBER RECEIVING SAID DOWEL AND FULLY ENCLOSING THE SAME, SAID OTHER BRACKET MEMBER BEING OFFSET FROM THE END OF ITS ASSOCIATED PANEL MEMBER, AND (D) MEANS REMOVABLY SECURING SAID BRACKET MEMBERS TO SAID PANEL MEMBERS. 